Helping Christians Take Their First Steps with Jesus

Many Christians genuinely want to grow in their faith but feel unsure where to begin. They may have recently come to faith, or they may have followed Jesus for years yet still feel stuck spiritually. Often the challenge is not a lack of desire—it’s a lack of clarity. People simply need someone to help them take their first steps.

Following Jesus has always been learned through relationship. When Jesus called His first disciples, He didn’t hand them a manual or enroll them in a class. He invited them into a life with Him: “Follow me.” They learned by walking with Him, watching Him, asking questions, and gradually participating in the mission He was already living out.

In many ways, the same is true today. Spiritual growth doesn’t begin with mastering information. It begins with simple, faithful steps.

One of the most important things we can do as leaders, mentors, or friends is remove unnecessary complexity from the beginning of the journey. When someone is new to following Jesus, they don’t need a full theological framework or a complicated spiritual routine. What they need is a clear path toward knowing Jesus and learning how to walk with the Holy Spirit day by day.

A helpful starting point is encouraging three foundational habits.

1. First, help them begin spending time with God in Scripture and prayer. This doesn’t have to be complicated. Encourage them to start with a Gospel and read small sections each day. Invite them to ask simple questions: What does this show me about Jesus? What does this mean for my life? Pair that with honest prayer—talking to God about what they’re learning, what they’re struggling with, and where they need His help. There are a number of different Bible study methods and prayer “patterns.” Here are a few you can try:
   
   Scripture Study Methods:

   – Discover Bible Study (DBS)

   • What does this passage say about God?

   • What does it say about people?

   • What should my response be?

   • Who could I share this with?

   – S.O.A.P

   • S – Scripture: Write out the passage.

   • O – Observation: What stands out? What is happening in the text?

   • A – Application: How should this affect my life?

   • P – Prayer: Pray about what you learned.

   – C.O.M.A

   • C – Context: What is the setting of the passage?

   • O – Observation: What does it say?

   • M – Meaning: What does it mean?

   • A – Application: What should I do?

   – Lectio Divina

   • Lectio – Read the passage slowly

   • Meditatio – Reflect on it

   • Oratio – Respond in prayer

   • Contemplatio – Rest quietly in God and listen

   Prayer Methods:

   – A.C.T.S

   • A – Adoration (praising God for who He is)

   • C – Confession (acknowledging sin)

   • T – Thanksgiving (gratitude)

   • S – Supplication (requests for yourself and others)

   – P.R.A.Y

   • P – Praise

   • R – Repent

   • A – Ask

   • Y – Yield

   – The Lords Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)

   • Use Jesus’ prayer as a template rather than a script.

    

2. Second, help them connect with other believers. There is no better place to experience the love of the Father than in His church; His bride. Christianity was never meant to be lived alone. Growth happens best in community where people can ask questions, share their experiences, and encourage one another. Sometimes the most powerful step for a new believer is simply knowing they aren’t the only one figuring things out. 
   
   
3. Third, encourage them to begin living out their faith in everyday life. Many Christians assume they need years of preparation before they can make a difference spiritually. In reality, some of the most meaningful growth happens when people start living what they already know. This might look like serving someone in need, forgiving someone who wronged them, or having a simple spiritual conversation with a friend. It can be intimidating to share what one is learning from Scripture with a friend, to pray for a coworker, to share hope in the Gospel with a family member, or even to speak up in a small group setting about sin struggles. But Christians need to encourage one another that there is no minimum requirement, when it comes to spiritual maturity, in order to experience the fullness of God’s love and grace and to join Him in His mission to reach the world and usher in the Kingdom of Heaven.
   
   

Taking steps like these and dying to self daily allows the Holy Spirit to take up residence in our lives. Faith moves from being something theoretical to something lived and experienced. God does not wait to call the qualified Christians. He qualifies those who are called through the power of the Spirit, and all are called to join God’ mission. 

It’s also important to remind people that growth takes time. When it comes to spiritual maturity, we are always seeking growth, not achievement. The early disciples didn’t understand everything right away. They asked the wrong questions, made mistakes, and occasionally misunderstood what Jesus was doing. Yet Jesus remained patient with them. He continued teaching, correcting, and inviting them further into the life He was offering.

That same patience should shape how we help others grow today.

Rather than expecting perfection or rapid maturity, we can celebrate progress. A new habit of prayer, a deeper question about Scripture, or a moment of courage in sharing faith with someone else—these are meaningful milestones in a person’s journey with Christ.

Helping Christians take their first steps with Jesus is not about creating spiritual experts overnight. It’s about helping people begin a life of following Him.

And often, the most powerful thing we can do is walk alongside them. We answer questions when they arise. We share what God has been teaching us. We model what it looks like to pursue Jesus in ordinary life.

When we do that, we’re not just giving people information about faith. We’re helping them experience the joy of walking with Jesus for themselves.